Improvement in sewing-machines



J. B. WOODRUPF. SEWING MACHINE.

No. 2 1,461. Patented Sept. 7, 1858.

sew-in sleeves, or any PATE T OFFICE.

J. B. WOODRUFF, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN 'SEWlNG-MACHiNES.

Specification forming To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, JEROME B. WooDnfurr. of the city of Washington, inthe District of Columbia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Sewing Machines, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which make part of this specification.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation, showing the arrangement of themechanism. Fig. 2 is the front end elevation, (diminished size,) showingthe mode of clamping to the table. Fig. 3 is a side view of the hingedfoot-piece and bed with the BX'liGllSl01lI'O(1 attached. Figs. 4 and 5are detached views of the corrugated spring-tension. Fig. 6 is a viewofthe shuttle bowl and driver. Fig. 7 is a spooler and shuttle-bobbin.

My invention consists in the construction and use of a double corrugatedspring to regulate thetension of the needle-thread, which is made topass between the plates of the spring in the employment of anextension-rod to adapt the machine to tables of varying heights and,also, in the means employed for retaining the shuttle in place, and atthe same time to render it easily accessible to insert and remove thebobbin.

To' enable others skilled in the arts to make and use my improvedsewing-machine, I will proceed more fully to describe. the same.

Like letters indicate similar parts in all the figures.

A in the annexed drawings represents the table or plate to which themechanism is secured, and upon which the material to be sewed rests. Thefront part of the plate B can be removed,which leaves a semicircularform, I), to-

shape not convenient to bear upon a flat surface.

O is shuck or hollow arm, in the form of an ellipsis,

made of cast metal, secured to the rear end of plate A, extending overtoward the front sufficient to support the cloth-holder c and camleverd'and helical spring e, in which the needle-arm D vibrates, and isprotected when the needle is through the plate. To that portion of theneedle-arm that extends under the plate is attached the pitman G, whichconnects it to the driving-wheel H, whereby a positive, and

di reet motion is given to all the working parts,

they being all moved by the under portion of part of Letters Patent No.21,461, dated September 7-, 1858.

whetherthe wheel rotates to the right or left. The balanced needle-bar,carrying the needle at one end and operating the shuttle direct by theother, the slotted shuttle-driver, and the shuttle-race are the same asdescribed and patented by me December 23, 1856, so a description here isunnecessarya In the edge of the sm. ller rim of the drivingwheel H isinserted a strip of preparedleather,

the needle-arm,

gutta-percha, orvulcanized rubber, which, com;

ing in cont-act wit-h the smooth surface of the periphery of a-largerwheel, anincreased speed may be obtained, which runs lighter,with lessnoise, and more power than can be obtained by double the amount ofsurface brought to bear by either belt-or gear. The spoolerK to fill theshuttle-bobbins, as seen in 7, is made of sheet metal, pressed out insuitable shape and bent at right angles,with notchesto receive the outerends of the bobbins, they'being journals to run on, and is so placed onthe flange that the shuttle-driver hangs on, so to be brought in contactwith the friction-wheel H to receive its motion and power for spooling.The cap or bowl, as seen in Fig. 6, in which the shuttle is placed tohold-it in its positionto it's race and carry it through the loop of theneedlethread, is pressed out of sheet-steel, and is raised in form by apunch and die, is connected-to theslotted driver by a screw, on which itmay be moved down sufficient to take out and replace the shuttle, andwhen moved up to the top of the racewill secure the shuttle in properplace for operation.

The double corrug. ted yielding spring-tension, as shown in Figs. .4 and5, is made out of sheet metal, receives its form by suitable machinery,may be placed in or on the needle arm or slide to move with it in themost convenient place, as near as can well be to the needle, so that thethread will be guided b6 tweenthe two as it comes from the spool,passing through an eye in the under spring, and out on the oppositespring at the other end to the needle. More or less tension is given toany kind of silk, twist, cotton, or linen thread, and more uniformity,whether it be-smooth or 1111 even, by being adjusted by the small thumbscrew 1), or anequivalent device, than any mode before known or used.The spool-case m, as shown in Fig. 1, may be placed to suit the con-'venicnce anywhere without affecting of the tension of the thread. Thefragment of atable. X.

case-hardened l the footpiece o by apin, a the other end havas seen inFig. 2, presents the front end View of the machine as secured to its topby the thumbscrew Z, under the projecting edge, so that all of theworking parts of the machine are in the most convenient position toexamine, oil, clean, regulate, and operate. either by the hand or foot,that they can possibly be placed in.

The foot-piece 0 and bed p, with the extensionrod attached, as shown inFig. 3, are made of cast-iron, and pivoted to the bed-piece P, whichrests upon the floor, so that the foot of the operator is balanced underthe ankle-j oint, there by making the most natural and easy motion tothe foot. The extension-rod, asshown in Fig. 3, is composed of a tube,Q, which is flattened at the end, and a hole through to connect it toHaving thus described my improved sewing-1nachine what I claim thereinto have invented as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.

' 1. The double corrugated yielding spring, between which the thread isguided, the same being regulated bya thumb-screw or anyequivmanner-described, to produce any degree of tension required.

2. Making the bowl or shuttle carrier and attaching it to the slotteddriver, as described, in combination with the circular shuttle-race.

3. The application of extension-rods for pitmen to sewing-machines, whenused in combination with a hinged foot-piece to be placed upon the floorand the machine upon table in the manner and for the purposes specified.

JEROME B. WOODRUFF,

in g a tapering screw, on whichis fitted a milled nut, R, whichcompresses it to the sliding rod J, which forms the connecting-piece tothe main driving-Wheel I at the crank-pin z',which also s :rves as thehandle to turn themachine when operated by the hand.

At-test:

JOHN S. HOLLINGSHEAD, JNOJH. IGLEHART.

alent device to bear uponthe thread, in-the

